Use of repeater nodes in telecommunication networks is well known. Typically the repeater nodes are stationed between a source node and a destination node to allow for data communicated from the source node to be communicated to the destination node over a distance that would otherwise be too great to maintain an acceptable signal quality if communication was made without the repeater nodes. A first repeater node conventionally receives the data being transmitted from the source node, performs any amplification which may be necessary due to a degradation of the signal and transmits the amplified signal on to a second repeater node. The second repeater node in turn performs any amplification which may be necessary due to a degradation of the signal, transmit the amplified signal on to the next repeater node. This process will be repeated until a final repeater node transmits the data to the destination node. An advantage of systems that communicate data via repeater nodes is that a distance across which the source node and destination node can communicate can be increased beyond a distance that the source node and destination node would otherwise be able to communicate without the repeater nodes. Also a transmission method used by the repeater nodes for example a radio interface, need only have a maximum range of a distance between each of the repeater nodes. This allows for the use of transmission methods such as short range radio interfaces, for example Bluetooth, which may be particularly desirable because of low power consumption and minimal radio interference impact.
The use of repeater nodes is common in so-called ad-hoc networks in which a number of repeater nodes may form a network in which no formal network planning is required. Ad-hoc networks often allow the network to “self organise” to some degree. This self organisation may be such that repeater nodes within the network can be removed, added or change location whilst still allowing communication of data between the source node and the destination node.
However, because ad-hoc networks include little or no formal planning it can be difficult to determine a location of a node within the network.